Glandore Boys' Home

Glandore Boys’ Home was the new name for Glandore Children’s Home from 1966. The name recognised that this government-run Home had for many years accommodated only boys. Situated at Glandore, the Home took in boys committed to the care of the State. Glandore Boys’ Home closed in 1973 and buildings on the property were converted to cottages known as Slade Cottage and Reception Cottage and one family group home known as the Glandore Family Home.

From 1966 Glandore Children’s Home was referred to in Annual Reports as Glandore Boys’ Home, acknowledging the fact that it was an institution for boys only. The Home took in boys committed to the care of the State who were deemed to be destitute, neglected or uncontrollable. Boys slept in dormitories divided mostly by age. Overcrowding, however, meant that often older boys were placed in dormitories with younger boys due to the lack of alternative accommodation for them.

In a 1966-67 file related to Glandore Boys Home staff members reported their concerns about the behaviour of a number of boys at the Home. They noted cases of sexual misconduct, stand-over tactics and bullying of younger vulnerable boys by older boys. The children at the Home were described as ‘frightened’ and ‘starved for affection’.

Glandore Boys Home came under strong scrutiny during the 2004-2008 Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry. Numerous allegations of sexual and physical abuse were investigated, many related to very young boys.

During the early 1970s the department believed it was important for boys to be quickly moved out of a large institution like Glandore into smaller group situations in foster homes, cottage homes and/or hostels. At this time, younger boys up to the age of eight were housed in a separate part of the Home, under the supervision of a Dormitory Mother. However, the number of boys in the Home still meant that boys over the age of eight were accommodated with older boys.

The 1972 departmental Annual Report notes that 37 boys were moved out of Glandore that year. Most were moved to into cottage care. Ten boys were sent to the Lochiel Park Boys Training Centre.

On 4 February 1973, as a result of the passing of the Community Welfare Act 1972, Glandore Boys’ Home closed as large congregate care institution. In 1972 some of the buildings on the property had already been converted into smaller cottage homes, including Slade Cottage, which was to be a therapeutic cottage home for twelve boys, Reception Cottage which accommodated up to nine boys, and a Family Group Home for four residents known as the Glandore Family Home.